Anti-social behaviour action plea

Urgent action must be taken by senior officers to improve understanding of the toll anti-social behaviour is taking on their communities, the head of the police inspectorate has said.

Chief Inspector of Constabulary Denis O'Connor said the recording of information about harassment, criminal damage and verbal abuse was "inadequate" and must be improved immediately.

He said more than half of the 43 forces in England and Wales cannot automatically identify repeat victims, leaving officers in ignorance of some of the most vulnerable people who need help.

A snapshot survey by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) found officers did not turn up to almost one in four (23%) anti-social behaviour complaints and as a result almost all those victims were unhappy with police.

Researchers also found that one in five repeat victims classed themselves as disabled in some way.

Around 3.6 million reports of antisocial behaviour were made in 2008-9, compared with 4.6 million crimes, but officials believe the true figure could be twice as high.

Speaking in central London, Mr O'Connor said police may need to radically rethink their approach because most victims do not distinguish between anti-social behaviour and crime.

He said: "I certainly think on the basis of what we have got here we should take antisocial behaviour seriously. Because one of the tests we do in the background is: 'How does this impact in terms of crime?'

"In certain circumstances it can be higher. It is constant and in their face, personalised, and people like a sanctuary. Even if it is not brilliant, it is their home. If they cannot go home in peace imagine how unnerving it is."

The death of Fiona Pilkington threw the spotlight on shortcomings in how police and other authorities respond to cases where vulnerable people are constantly tormented by yobs. She committed suicide and killed her severely disabled 18-year-old daughter Francecca after gangs kept them prisoners in their home in Barwell, near Hinckley in Leicestershire.